Reddit announced it will end support for RSS feeds and its public API, citing concerns over abuse by AI bots. The decision comes as the company seeks to protect its user-generated content, which has become a profitable side business through AI licensing deals.
Reddit reported that its 'other revenue' grew 24% year-over-year to $43 million in its second quarter, highlighting the financial incentive behind the move. The company emphasized that RSS feeds have become a 'common surface for large-scale scraping and automated abuse,' prompting the decision to wind down the service.
The change affects moderators who rely on RSS for alerts, with Reddit recommending a shift to the Discord Relay Devvit app. The company urged moderators to review their workflows and migrate before the November 13 shutdown date to avoid disruption.
"We know RSS has been a beloved part of the open web for a long time, and we’re grateful to everyone who used it to stay connected to Reddit," said a Reddit spokesperson. The company also shared a March 2027 shutdown date for its public API, which will impact tools relying on programmatic access to Reddit conversations.
The announcement follows a broader trend of platforms tightening access to data amid rising concerns over AI bot activity. Reddit also mentioned it is adding safeguards to its Old Reddit version, limiting access to logged-in moderators and recent users.
Reddit did not specify how it will handle data access for AI assistants post-API shutdown, and raised concerns about the impact on moderators and users who rely on RSS. The company said it will limit access for logged-in users to those who have used Old Reddit in the last 90 days.
Source: techcrunch
